Microsoft has a new ally in the distribution of its Windows Phone smartphone operating system. That ally is Alcatel OneTouch, a Chinese company known for its low-cost smartphones.
The new phone will run Windows 10 – which launched just over a month ago – and is set to debut in the United States before the end of the year.
Confirmation that the smartphone is in the works comes after a leak about an Alcatel OneTouch smartphone running Windows 10. The device is being dubbed the Fierce XL, and its details were revealed by serial leaker @evleaks.
Alcatel OneTouch's announcement signifies some rare support for Windows Phone. Computer manufacturers have embraced Windows 10, but the mobile operating system has failed to spark serious consumer interest, like Windows Phone versions before it.
Microsoft turned off some of its partners for Windows Phone when it bought Nokia's handset business in April 2014. The acquisition has turned out not to be the Windows Phone renaissance the company was hoping for.
In any case, Microsoft has said it will launch a high-end Windows 10 phone before the end of the year.
While high-end Windows Phone devices haven't really sold, the company has done a little better in the budget phone market, such as with the Lumia 532, which costs $96 in the U.S.
Alcatel OneTouch only started selling phones in the U.S. two years ago, but it is hoping to gain ground as quickly as possible. Its affordable Windows 10 smartphone is expected to be sold through at least one carrier in the U.S.
Via: CNET
